The Spies Next Door
by Sardixiis
Summary: They had new intel and suspicions to go along with it, but they needed more proof. It was time for some spy craft. The targets? Joan and Arthur Campbell. The risks? High. After all, what would their parents do if they found out their kids were spying on the neighbors? Worse yet, what would a pair of spies do to two kids who found out their secret?
1. Chapter 1 - Outed

**The Spies Next Door**

Chapter One - Outed

CIA agents rarely had time to sit back and enjoy the moment except perhaps when a mission was accomplished. Even then the time allowed to relish in that moment hardly counted as more than just that, a moment. Joan had learned long ago to take full advantage of the rare days she had off. She never knew how far apart those days could be or how long she would have before a ringing phone signaled an impending calamity that would cut her time off short. It was best to simply enjoy it when she could.

Which was exactly what she was doing. Beautiful sunny days and time off rarely came hand in hand, but today she'd gotten lucky. Arthur might want to spend the day inside reading the paper, but she had every intention of taking in the sunshine. A chair outside, a magazine, and a pair of sandals she could easily kick off while she ran her toes through the grass were going to make for a wonderful day. She tipped her head back, closed her eyes, and let the warmth of the sun soak into her face. It felt absolutely wonderful. A smile danced across her lips as the peacefulness of the situation settled in. Their neighborhood was always peaceful. Quiet was one of the perks of living where they did. Personally Joan thought it would be worth every penny even if their home wasn't as nice as it actually was. Their jobs were chaotic enough. The last thing she wanted was to come home to the same thing. She may not get to be home very often, but when she was she wanted to enjoy it.

The sound of rustling caught her attention and she opened her eyes. It didn't take very long to identify where it was coming from. Based on the location she guessed it was the kids next door. There were two of them, both rather young, but they'd never caused problems. Joan heard them outside playing from time to time but that was about it. She and Arthur didn't cross paths with their neighbors often, but they knew a lot about them. A quick background had been done when they'd moved in. Theresea and John Hamlin had two children, Carter, 9, and Caroline, 7. They worked regular jobs for DC. John was a lawyer, and Theresea worked as a secretary in the business district. The family took regular trips to the Carolinas and enjoyed going out to eat. Nothing unusual. Joan was almost about to go back to enjoying the sunshine when the sound of whispering reached her. Habit had her listening in without really thinking about it.

"Our neighbors are spies."

Joan sat up straighter but focused down on her magazine. Her eyes might be there, but she was concentrated on the conversation happening in the next yard. If the children could see into her yard somehow and happened to look over she didn't want to look like she was listening to them. That would likely end their conversation immediately, and she needed to know more.

On the other side of the vegetation Carter and Caroline were crouched down and trying to stay hidden. It was the best place to talk without their parents hearing anything or seeing very much.

"Oh come on, Caroline."

"I'm serious!" Caroline returned indignantly.

Carter rolled his eyes. His sister wasn't usually someone to make things up, but she could think things were true that weren't. She still believed in the tooth fairy after all. He wouldn't put it past her to exaggerate a little bit either.

"Says who?"

"Says mom and dad." Carter's eyes rose in surprise, and Caroline grinned triumphantly. He couldn't say she was being ridiculous now. "They heard Mr. Campbell's name on TV. I heard them talking about it yesterday."

"That doesn't make him a spy, idiot."

"Yes it does! Mom and dad said he works for the CIA which means he's a spy."

That made Carter fall silent. He couldn't argue against that reasoning, especially since his parents had been the ones talking about it. But were his parents right? The Campbells didn't seem like spies to him. Then again, they weren't around much, and he didn't really know them.

"What about Mrs. Campbell? Is she a spy too?"

"I don't know."

Carter shifted to make himself more comfortable as he thought about it. There wasn't any real proof that she was a spy, and it didn't sound like the TV had mentioned anything about her, but it was still possible.

"Maybe. They go to work together. At least I think they do."

"Do you think mom and dad are right? Are they really spies?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out."

"How?"

"We watch them and see."

Caroline's mouth dropped open. He really wanted to spy on the spies? Wasn't that dangerous? If their neighbors found out they were being watched they could be really mad, and if they were mad enough they could tell mom and dad. That wouldn't be good. She would probably be grounded for pretty much ever. So would Carter.

"What if we get caught?"

"We're not going to."

"But what if we _do_?"

"They're not going to do anything, Caroline. It's not like there's anything wrong with just watching either. Not really."

She dropped her chin into her hand and rested the same elbow on her upturned knee as her other leg rocked back and forth. Spying on someone else still sounded wrong to her. Sort of. It wasn't like she was going to tattle about it or anything though. They were only going to watch and try to find out the truth. There wasn't anything wrong with finding out the truth, right?

"Okay… how do we know if they're actually spies though? They're not going to just tell us."

"So we look for things that spies would do."

"Like what?"

"Like spy stuff."

Caroline gave him a dark look. Spy stuff was not an answer at all! He was being annoying. Despite how frustrating his reply had been her mom would have been proud of her since she hadn't hit Carter in response.

"Like hiding things and being secretive and stuff," he added.

Okay, spies probably did that.

"That's not enough to prove it though."

"Well, what else do spies do?" Carter demanded.

"Mmm… carry a gun and dress in black so they can walk around at night."

"That should be easy to see."

Caroline nodded her head vigorously. Now that they had specific things to look for she was warming up to the idea of spying on her neighbors. It could be a lot of fun actually.

"What else do you think they do?" she asked.

"James Bond stuff, like speaking in code and using cool tools. I bet they can fight really well too."

"Who's James Bond?"

"A spy from the movies."

"Like the Spy Kids! Carmen and Juni! They were spies and they used all kinds of cool stuff. Hidden gadgets that just look like gum or a ring or something!"

"They aren't real, and that movie isn't based on real life. Everyone knows James Bond because his movies are more realistic."

"Then why have I never heard of him?"

"Because you're too young to see them, stupid."

That time she did kick him. He deserved it. Carter glared at her in return, but she just glared back at him. He'd started it. Caroline had never been one to give in, and she definitely wasn't going to this time either. Carter was the one who broke the silence first.

"Just make sure you get your homework done fast so we can watch them after school."

"I always get my homework done fast. You're the one that takes forever."

"I do not!"

"Yeah you do," Caroline taunted.

"Then I'll work really fast so we can watch for when they come home. Once they do we can keep an eye on them through the window or while we're outside. It'll be easy."

"Okay," she agreed.

"Then we'll start tomorrow. Just don't tell mom and dad."

Joan heard more rustling as the two kids extricated themselves from the plants and raced toward the door. She waited until they were inside before standing. They didn't need to know she'd heard their entire plan by going inside before they had. She slipped in the back door and went in search of her husband. Chances were he was right where she had left him: on the couch.


	2. Chapter 2 - Counter Surveillance

_Author's Note: Thank you all for the reviews and apparent love for this story already! Since this is the first multi-chapter CA fic I've written, I figure I should give you the good news! I update consistently once a day, so be prepared._

* * *

Chapter Two – Counter Surveillance

"Apparently we've been outed," Joan told Arthur as she perched herself on the armrest near him.

"Outed?" he asked without looking up.

"As spies."

That caught his attention, and his eyes snapped up to meet hers. His expression didn't hold full blown panic, but there was a very visible and deep concern present.

"How the hell did that happen?"

Joan smiled softly at him. She didn't seem to be the least bit apprehensive which made no sense to Arthur. Neither of them were actively in the field anymore, but that didn't mean it was a good idea to reveal their ties to the agency.

"It's only a suspicion at this point, I think, but it started with hearing your name on TV."

"I knew that would come back and hurt me. Liza Hearn is a pain in my side that simply won't go away," Arthur complained. "Who are we talking about?"

"Our neighbors."

"Which ones?"

"The Hamlins."

"Alright. So what are our options?" Arthur mused as he pushed himself off the couch and started pacing in front of it. "Either we let it go and see how it plays or try to talk them out of the idea. We would have to figure out how to go about that though. My cover is probably blown, but at least we can solidify yours."

"Arthur…"

"We could invite them out to dinner. It wouldn't be hard to work careers into the conversation. Unless you think it would be better to…"

"Arthur," Joan interrupted again, this time a little bit louder and more forceful so she was sure to catch his attention. "Relax. I'm talking about our neighbors under the age of ten."

He turned to face her, a perplexed look on his face.

"The kids know we're spies? How did you figure that out?" He paused a moment before adding, "How did they figure that out?"

"I overheard them talking outside. Apparently they heard their parents talking," she began. A small nod of her head drew Arthur back to the couch, and he sat down next to her. She rested her hand on his thigh and smoothed her palm down to his knee and back up again. "They're going to spy on us after school to see if we really are spies."

"Spying on the spies, huh? Sounds dangerous."

"That's what they thought."

Arthur nodded and then looked up at her. Joan knew that look on his face and she didn't like it. Something was spinning around in his head, and he was about to ask a question that would give him whatever information he needed to finish formulating that idea. She knew it, and she wasn't disappointed.

"What are they looking for?"

"Guns and black clothes," Joan said in amusement.

The expression on Arthur's face when he heard that nearly made Joan laugh.

"What do they think we are, burglars?"

She actually did laugh then. While she had thought their criteria for a spy was a bit comical, she hadn't seen the similarities to burglary like Arthur had. The connection was clear now that he'd brought it up. Joan leaned down and gently kissed the side of his face.

"We do share a few characteristics with them," she admitted.

"You really want to be compared to a burglar?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"No, but I do have a few outfits in my closet that are very burglar-esque."

"Then you should wear them."

Joan lifted an eyebrow questioningly. Where had that come from? She knew full well that he liked seeing her in dresses, both the ones she wore to work and the fancier options she had for parties and dinners out. Black clothes though? Tight fitting or not they were still pants, sweatshirts, and gloves. That would definitely not be something she would normally consider wearing to seduce him. Arthur picked up on her confusion and filled her in.

"So they have something to find. Clues," he added in response.

That caught Joan even more off guard than his first request. He wanted them to find something? Earlier he'd been so worried that someone knew they worked for the agency. It was almost a complete 180 and made absolutely no sense. They had spent their entire lives hiding who they were and what they did. Secrets and hidden lives were completely ingrained in them, and now Arthur wanted to openly reveal that they were spies? She wasn't worried if the kids knew, but that didn't mean she thought it was a good idea to give them the proof they were looking for.

"You're really going to humor them?"

"Sure, why not? It'll be fun."

"Arthur…"

"Like you said, they're kids. What harm could it do?"

Joan sighed and shook her head at him. Nobody was likely to take the kids seriously, especially with the clues they were looking to find. What was more, if their parents did take it seriously Joan could simply tell them the truth (for once). They'd pretended to be spies and had made up clues to entertain the kids. Even if this game Arthur wanted to play didn't compromise their identities, she didn't see why he would want to do it.

"Do I need to remind you that the whole point of working for the CIA is that people don't know you're working for the CIA?"

"My name is all over now so people already know. Since we go to work together all the time they probably suspect for you too."

She had come to accept as much on the morning Arthur had been watching the broadcast. Suspicions were always going to be there. That was simply the way things were. It didn't mean they should confirm them though.

"We do enough planning and plotting at the office. Nearly _breathe it_. Why would you want to do more at home?"

"Because this could be fun," he insisted. "We can plan and plot and if we fail it won't have any life changing consequences for the entire country."

"For once."

"Exactly. For once it's just about the thrill."

As stupid as it was, Joan felt herself actually coming around to the idea. The rational part of her was screaming walk away now. This ploy was just another thing to add to her already full plate. Arthur could see her wavering though and he wasn't about to give up. It should only take another gentle push to convince her.

"A little hand to hand practice wouldn't hurt you know."

"Arthur…"

He turned and gripped her upper arm while cupping her opposite cheek with his other hand.

"Come on, Joan. For fun."

She sighed heavily but a small smile flickered across her face. Immediately Arthur knew he had persuaded her.

"As long as I get to win."

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise at her reply and he pulled away.

"Now that wouldn't seem very realistic, would it?"

Joan arched a delicate eyebrow at him in warning.

"Do you really want to go there?"


	3. Chapter 3 - Plan of Action

Chapter Three – Plan of Action

Arthur's eyes scanned down the list of "clues" written in Joan's elegant handwriting. When he was done he looked up at her seriously over his glasses.

"This is good."

A satisfied smile danced across her face as she twirled her pen loosely in her hand.

"Thank you."

"And here I thought you weren't that interested."

"I was the one that heard the conversation you know."

The six item list had been completely based off what the two children had decided they would be looking for. It hadn't been very challenging to take the vague watch points and turn them into something more specific that could actually be done. The only concept Joan had left out completely was their belief that she and Arthur carried a gun. Not only was it incorrect, she didn't want to go walking around with one, real or fake. That would be asking for trouble, both for herself and for the children. There were definitely far better ways to convince the kids they were spies.

Arthur pointed to the fourth point: hidden cache in yard.

"What are we going to hide?"

"I haven't quite figured that out, but I was thinking. Do we even need to actually hide something? As long as they think that's what we're doing we should be fine."

"And if they come over to look?"

"They're not going to break into our yard, Arthur," Joan told him in exasperation.

"They're willing to risk spying on people they think are dangerous spies."

"They're still not going to break into the yard, but if different reasoning will make you happier, they still wouldn't need to find anything. If we are hiding something we would be hiding it _well_."

"That hardly counts as a clue then."

Joan seriously wanted to hit him. For this being his idea she was doing most of the work so far. Being forced into extra work was the biggest reason she hadn't wanted to be involved in Arthur's plan. She might have agreed to do it, but that didn't mean she planned on doing all of the work.

"You're the DCS. You decide. Direct this clandestine operation of yours."

"We hide a box near the fence so they might actually be able to get it."

"Under the bushes?"

"And buried."

She turned away from him and added it to the list, though not before she clarified the situation a bit.

"Your idea, you're the one that's going to crawl under the bushes to do it."

Unfortunately Arthur had no way to argue that demand. He had been the one to come up with the idea after all so it was only right for him to complete the job as well.

"I look forward to getting covered in dirt and leaves for the benefit of this operation."

"And spider webs," Joan added with a smirk. "I'm sure there will be some in there."

He flinched, which only made Joan's eyes sparkle in amusement and victory.

"What are we going to put in it?"

"Coded messages?"

"Fake IDs," he countered.

"You're really going to waste money on fake fake IDs? It's not like we can risk real fake IDs getting out."

"I'll make them. They don't have to pass international inspection; just a ten year old's inspection"

"If you want to have fun with that, be my guest," she snorted. "I'll see what Auggie can come up with for these "cool gadgets" they think we have. It shouldn't be too hard for him, and he might actually enjoy it."

Of course she would have to tell him why she wanted the toys, but that would be easy enough. The truth alone would probably convince him to do it for the mere fact that he could enjoy himself picturing Arthur trying to fool a pair of children. While the device wouldn't actually need to work, it had to look cool and come across as a spy tool. Auggie might have something that could transform into another shape. As long as it looked technological it would convince the kids.

Joan tapped her pen lightly on the table as she tried to come up with other options. They were good with what they had, and it wasn't like Arthur was providing anything else to add to the list, but she always wanted to be prepared even if it did mean she had to do extra work. This may not be a real mission, but she still felt the need to make sure everything was in place.

"What about an overheard phone conversation?" Joan offered.

"Giving mission details?"

"With codenames. Your mission, if you choose to accept it, and all of that."

"Very James Bond of you, Joan."

"That would be the point, wouldn't it?"

"I love the way your mind works," Arthur returned before leaning down to kiss her.

"Mm. It's good to know that every once in a while you love me for more than my body."

Arthur knew full well that Joan didn't believe he'd married her simply because of how beautiful she was. That may have been a contributing factor, but it definitely wasn't the largest reason.

"You do have a very nice body."

Joan swatted at him but was grinning anyway.

"We're going to need to leave the curtains open you know. Both if we want them to be able to see us and if we want to know when they're watching," she told her husband.

"Easy enough. We'll just have to remember they're open."

"I am not leaving them open all night. They don't need to see that much."

"We're going to be doing things you don't want them to see down here, hm?"

"If you behave yourself."

Arthur leaned over her and draped his arm around her waist.

"Does this count as behaving?" he asked between nips and kisses to her neck.

"Mm. I haven't decided yet."

"Maybe you should."

Joan tipped her head to the side to give him more access to her neck and relished his attention for a little while. It felt wonderful, and she was really tempted to let him continue on. When he planted a kiss under her jaw she gave in.

"We can always continue planning later."

"Later is good," Arthur agreed.

He slid the pen from her fingers, tossed it onto the desk, and pulled her to her feet. The rest of the day was definitely going to be enjoyable.


	4. Chapter 4 - A Tale of Spies and Burglars

Chapter Four – A Tale of Spies and Burglars

Caroline was starting to wonder if her parents had been really wrong. She and Carter had been watching the Campbells for two days, or at least they had been trying to. Not only hadn't they seen anything to support the suspicion of them being spies, they hadn't seen anything at all. From what they could tell the Campbells were never home. She was about to give up for the day when she spotted a car pulling in next door. In a flash she pushed herself away from the window and bolted out of her room to find Carter. He was right where she'd expected to find him, sitting in front of the TV playing video games. She dropped to her knees next to him and nudged his shoulder.

"Carter!"

"I'm busy."

"Carter!"

"Not now, Caroline!"

"Carter, they're finally home!"

Carter dropped his controller with a thud and spun to face Caroline, his eyes wide.

"Seriously?" he demanded. "Then why are we still here? Let's go!"

"We're still here because you wouldn't listen to me," she muttered under her breath as she followed after him.

They both raced up the steps to Caroline's room since she had the best view of the house next door. It wasn't somewhere their parents would be constantly watching them either. Not being noticed by their parents was turning out to be the most challenging part of their plan.

"You're right. There are lights on inside."

"I _told_ you. Are they doing anything?"

"Can't tell, but I don't think so."

Little did they know that they weren't the only ones that had spotted their neighbors. Joan and Arthur had noticed the children in the upstairs window shortly after arriving home. It was their first chance to give the kids some fake clues. Since Arthur was going to be diving under bushes, Joan decided to take the first round. Considering what they had planned it was probably better that way. She wouldn't want him getting hurt. Joan quickly changed clothes and headed toward the back door, making a point to pass by the windows in view of the children's upstairs window.

"Carter, look what she's wearing!"

"I can see it myself you know."

He wasn't sure how anyone could miss what she was wearing. The all black clothes she had on stood out quite a lot. Carter watched as she headed to the door and stopped to pull her hair back into a ponytail before pulling the hood of her sweatshirt up.

"Why did she put the hood up?" Caroline asked. "It's not that cold out."

"Shh. Just watch."

Caroline glared at him but then turned her eyes back toward the window. It was just in time to see Joan slip out the back door. Her eyes shifted around, checking to make sure the coast was clear. When her scan turned toward their house Carter and Caroline dropped down out of sight.

"Did she see us?" Caroline asked frantically.

"I don't know. Stay down until I make sure she's not still watching us."

He slowly peeked over the edge of the window sill. Joan's head swung away from their house once more before she started forward again.

"She's not looking anymore."

Caroline popped up beside him, but Carter pushed her head down.

"Hey!" she whined.

"Stay down like I am. You can still see but we won't be easy to spot if she looks up here again."

She did as he asked and together they watched again. Joan headed through her backyard, keeping a careful watch out for anyone nearby. The further away from the illuminated areas around the house she got the harder it was to see her. Darkness had already been settling in when the Campbells had arrived home, and by the time Joan had made it outside it would have been dark enough for fireworks. It was definitely dark enough to almost fully hide someone wearing black too. When she reached the far side of the yard she did something neither of them expected. She went over the back fence. Caroline and Carter turned to stare at each other with wide eyes and open mouths. Neither one said anything for a few seconds.

"How did she do that?" Caroline finally asked.

"I have no idea."

He knew she hadn't made it over in one move, but it was too dark and the fence was too far away for him to see more than that. Even if he didn't know how she'd done it, it was still a cool trick. Something a spy would do.

"Do you think she's going to come back over the fence?"

"Probably not for a while. I don't see Mr. Campbell anywhere either. We can keep watching, but I don't think we'll see anything else."

"I want to keep watching. We could miss something."

Carter shrugged.

"Whatever you want to do."

He wasn't going to stick around and watch for the rest of the night when it wasn't likely for them to see anything else.

Next door on the other side of the fence Joan nudged her hood off her head and began creeping around the fence line. She didn't want to be mistaken for a real burglar so she pulled her gloves off and unzipped the hoodie too. Thankfully she didn't have very far to go. Arthur had left a window open on the opposite side of the house from the Hamlins. It wouldn't be hard to get back inside without notice from the kids. Hopefully the neighbors on the other side wouldn't spot her and call the cops either. Having them show up at her home would definitely ruin the show she'd put on for the kids.

Joan slipped through the window and found Arthur waiting for her. She smiled at him before turning back to close and lock the window.

"Went well?"

"They were definitely watching. They tried to duck down when I looked up at the window, but it wasn't fast enough."

"How was going over the fence?"

"A bit harder than it used to be, I'll admit. Some of the shrubs might have taken a little damage."

"Cheater."

Joan snorted, took Arthur's arm, and leaned against him.

"I'd like to see you try. You would have needed more help than a shrub to get over if you didn't kill yourself in the process."

"Joan, you underestimate me."

"I don't think so. Don't forget how long you've been out of the field and how old you are."

"Not that much different from you," he protested.

"So you say."

She eyed Arthur sidelong with a tiny smile on her face. When she lifted an eyebrow in challenge Arthur caved.

"So I probably wouldn't have been as elegant."

"If putting it that way makes you feel better."

"It does. Now if you will excuse me, I have some fake IDs to make."

"Just what I would want to do when I get home from work, more work." She headed toward the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine.

"Have fun with that."

"I will. I get to create a fake name for you."

"Watch what you choose or you might wind up spending the evening on the couch," she shot back over her shoulder.

Arthur grinned and headed down to the office to get started. He'd never made an ID before, a usable fake one or not, so it could take a few tries to get something that looked alright. It could be fun though, if it wasn't beyond frustrating. The computer layout could be done tonight which would leave him with the printing for the next day. Some card stock and packaging tape acting as lamination should work well enough for his purposes.


	5. Chapter 5 - Some Energy Required

Chapter Five – Some Energy Required

Joan was about to reach for her wine glass the next evening when two pieces of paper landed in front of her. She glanced up at Arthur and then down at what he'd tossed onto the table. The false IDs he'd made, though they didn't exactly look like ones she was used to. These were thin and shiny. She picked them up and looked over each one. Josephine and Aaron Carson.

"You're lacking some originality with the names don't you think?"

"No, it doesn't really matter. If they're close to our real names it might even be more convincing."

"Hopefully they'll work."

"Oh, I don't see why they wouldn't."

"If you say so," she returned before lifting her wine glass to her lips.

"They will. I still have to find a box, but that shouldn't take too long."

He pulled the chair out beside Joan and sat down. Since he didn't say anything Joan continued sipping at her wine in silence. Arthur's eyes remained on her, watching and waiting. It was like he was expecting her to read his mind. Joan had no intention of doing that even though she did have an idea about what he wanted. Instead of telling him that, she lifted her eyebrow and asked her own question.

"What?"

"Simply wondering what you wanted to do tonight."

"Finish my glass of wine, eat dinner, and enjoy some more wine. I might even be open to curling up on the couch with you and watching TV. As long as it isn't the news."

She said all of it with a straight face even though she knew that wasn't what he was asking. It would irritate him to no end, and she would enjoy that. There were not enough times when she could make Arthur squirm. She was going to enjoy every moment of this one.

"Ah, Joan, that's not what I'm talking about, and I think you know that."

"Do I?"

Arthur knew that look. It was the one she gave him when she wanted to make him work simply for the fun of it. She was denying her knowledge of what he was talking about, but he knew that she understood his true meaning.

"Don't play this game. Don't we get enough of this at work?"

"That question sounds familiar. Remind me again who has asked that recently?"

"My amazing wife only last week."

"Ah. I thought it sounded familiar."

"Now that you've made your point, do you want to tell me what clues we're going to give tonight?" he pressed.

"Are they watching?"

That was a very good question, and one he didn't have an answer to. At least not yet. It wouldn't take much to find out though. He moved to the window but didn't see anyone watching from the windows across the way. It was possible that they were outside though, so he headed down the hall to check. He spotted both children right away.

"They're outside," he reported when he returned to the kitchen.

"Well, your phone call would be good. The whole point for that one is for them to hear what you are saying."

"Very true." Arthur rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned over so his head was close to hers before he continued. "How energetic are you feeling?"

Joan tipped her head back and stroked her cheek against his.

"Energetic enough," she returned in a rather sultry voice.

Unfortunately for Joan that wasn't why Arthur had asked (for once).

"Good. We can go put on some comfortable clothes so we can practice outside after the phone call."

He kissed her and vanished upstairs without bothering to wait for her. Joan rolled her eyes and sighed. Of course that had been why he'd asked. She finished the rest of her wine in one gulp and followed him up to their room. Sometimes Arthur could be exceedingly frustrating.

O . o . O . o . O

The sound of a door opening next door drew Carter's attention. He waved to Caroline and motioned toward the fence. She understood right away and scurried over to join him. Together they ducked under the bushes on their side of the fence and pressed in as close as they could. If they got in the right position they could see reasonably well through the foliage. It wasn't perfect but it was the best they could do without being seen. At least from where they were they could hear everything.

"You're taking up all the room, Carter."

"You're fine. Now be quiet so we can hear what's going on."

Caroline fell silent and peered through the leaves. Arthur Campbell had come outside with his phone. He paced around the yard, his eyes constantly scanning the area to make sure he was alone. When he walked past where Carter and Caroline were hiding they held their breaths and tried to stay as still as possible. Finally Arthur seemed confident that nobody was nearby and made his call. Both children strained their ears to catch it.

"Doug, it's Arthur. Everything has been set and the mission is a go. You're to meet codename Cobra at rendezvous point C. Be careful and don't get caught. Nobody else can know about this."

He paused for a moment, listening, and Carter and Caroline couldn't help trying to scoot closer. There really hadn't been a point though. Arthur said good luck and hung up. Caroline and Carter looked at each other in disappointment. They'd heard a lot, and it seemed to fit with the suspicion that Mr. Campbell was a spy. Despite that though, they wanted more. Hopefully they would see or hear something else that was just as cool if they stuck around. For a while they didn't see anything at all. Since they could hear someone walking around they knew Mr. Campbell was still out there, just out of sight. Then they heard the sound of the sliding glass door open and close followed by the sound of more footsteps.

"That took a while," Arthur said.

"Stop being impatient. I didn't take that long," Joan grumbled in return.

Both of the Campbells came into sight a moment later. Joan's arms were crossed over her chest and she was clearly irritated. On the other hand Arthur was smiling happily. Sighing, Joan dropped her arms and took a few steps back.

"Alright. Let's just get this over with."

"Someone is grumpy tonight."

"I'm not the one that needs the practice," she retorted.

Neither Carter nor Caroline knew what they were talking about, but the last thing either of them was expecting was for a punch to suddenly be thrown. They couldn't prevent their gasps of surprise. Joan's fist nearly collided with Arthur's face. At the last minute he shifted aside.

"You could have said go!"

"Fine. Go."

And fists flew again. All Caroline and Carter could do was watch open mouthed as the Campbells moved. Each movement was fluid and controlled and not one strike hit its mark without being blocked or deflected in some way. The fight looked dead even until Arthur slammed into Joan, caught her around the waist, and dragged her to the ground. When they hit the grass there was a scramble of arms and legs. Carter couldn't make out too many details. To him it was simply a mess of flailing until Arthur pressed Joan's shoulders to the ground. It seemed pretty obvious to Carter that he'd won. Then in a flash the situation was reversed. Joan had locked her leg around Arthur's and yanked on it at the same time her hand snapped up and collided with his opposite shoulder. The two forces together and the suddenness of her attack unsteadied Arthur. She easily flipped him onto his back and took up the same position he was in before only with a knee resting lightly over the pit of his stomach.

"Whoa," Caroline whispered.

"Yeah."

They watched until Joan stood and pulled her husband back onto his feet. Arthur groaned as he stood, and Carter was pretty sure he heard him grumbling at Joan their entire way into the house. Once they were inside the kids crept out of the bushes and turned to look at each other.

"I told you they were spies!" Caroline said in triumph.

"We don't know for sure yet," he insisted even though he was already convinced. He might have thought the Campbells were spies but he wasn't willing to admit that yet, especially since it would mean telling his sister that she'd been right. Besides, he wanted to see more of their tricks.

"Seems pretty obvious to me."

"Maybe. Could be coincidence though. We need to keep watching."

"If you say so."

Caroline didn't really mind. It was fun playing a spy.

O . o . O . o . O

"Ow," Arthur moaned once they were inside.

Joan flashed him a bright, not very sympathetic smile. She ran her fingers lightly down the side of his face as she walked past.

"Poor baby. I'll get you some ice."

"And a drink."

Of course a drink needed to be included. While Arthur made himself comfortable on the couch Joan gathered the ice and a glass of scotch. She sat down next to him, handed over the glass, and pressed the ice pack to the back of his head. He winced and cast her a tiny glare.

"Was taking me down really necessary?"

Joan leaned in and kissed him gently.

"You know how I feel about losing."

"You didn't have to take that frustration out on me."

"I wouldn't have needed to if you had just let me win."

She leaned against him and rubbed her cheek on his shoulder. Arthur gently stroked his fingers through her hair.

"I'm proud of you, you know," he told her. "You've still got it."

"You see? You don't have to worry about me."

"I will always worry about you, Joan."


	6. Chapter 6 - Impatience Isn't a Virtue

Chapter Six – Impatience Isn't A Virtue

"Ah. Nya. Dammit."

Arthur's moaning and groaning continued with a few choice words added in for variety. The bushes along the fence rustled and shook as his legs thrashed around outside of them. Joan grinned in amusement and took another sip of her wine. She wasn't going to miss this for the world. So far his attempt to bury the box containing the fake IDs he'd made under the bushes didn't seem to be going very well. That was perfectly fine with Joan. The more trouble he had the more entertainment she got out of it. At the moment it was like dinner and a show. His feet scrambled at the ground as he scooted another few inches into the hedge. Joan choked back a laugh and pressed a loosely closed fist to her lips.

"I can hear you laughing!" Arthur called out from between the leaves.

It came out so muffled that Joan only laughed harder. All of the extra work this little prank of Arthur's had created was worth it for this one moment. She seriously wished she'd thought to bring a camera out with her. Getting a picture of Arthur's ass wriggling around in the dirt and leaves would have been priceless.

"How's it going in there?"

"Ow! Mn. That hurt. These branches can be rather sharp."

"This was your idea. You're not going to get any sympathy from me."

She heard him mutter something that sounded vaguely like "of course not." It only made her smile wider. He was rather cute when he was frustrated like this.

"Do you want to offer a hand?"

Joan's eyebrows lifted in disbelief.

"Oh no. I'm not coming under there. You're on your own."

"I was thinking more along the lines of pulling me out."

Well, that was something she was willing to do. She tossed the rest of her wine back, set the glass off to the side, and grabbed Arthur's ankle. While he tried to worm his way back out Joan pulled. At one point he came incredibly close to kicking her. She slapped lightly at his leg in return.

"Be more careful or you're going to give me a black eye. If that happens you're going to have to figure a way out of there by yourself because I will be going inside after I shove you farther into those bushes."

"Didn't mean it. I'll try to keep my legs still."

It took another few minutes of pulling and pushing before Arthur was finally free. He pushed himself to his feet and tried to brush off the leaves and dirt. When he turned toward her his hair looked like he'd just gotten out of bed in the middle of the forest. Despite his attempts to get clean, there was an adorable smear of dirt across his forehead too. Joan smiled softly at him and tried to brush away the smear with her thumb.

"You have leaves all through your hair."

"Do I?" he asked as he threaded his fingers through this hair. "Better?"

"Better, but you are still a mess."

"But I'm your mess."

He leaned in for a kiss, but Joan quickly covered his face with her hand to stop him.

"That's not going to happen. Not until you're clean."

"I'm not that dirty."

"You're really close to me preventing you from walking into the house," she said softly and dangerously as she tapped a finger against his chest.

"I guess I better go take a shower then," he whispered into her ear.

"Then go."

Before Joan could stop him Arthur leaned in and snuck a quick kiss. She tried to swat at him as he took off toward the house but missed and had to dart after him instead.

O . o . O . o . O

The next few days were quiet on the Hamlin Kids Mission. Joan and Arthur simply enjoyed the little bit of time off together and waited. They still surreptitiously peered out windows to keep up the charade, but otherwise provided no other clues for Carter and Caroline. The box Arthur had buried in the back yard was still there (he'd checked the night before). So far the children hadn't found it, but Joan and Arthur were sitting outside when the kids were out often enough that the box had to be spotted at some point. It was buried directly across the fence from where the kids hid. Arthur had left part of the box uncovered so it would be relatively easy to spot. They would see it eventually, and once they did Joan and Arthur would stay inside so the children had the opportunity to dig it out.

"How long do you think it's going to take?" Arthur asked from the other side of the couch.

He had been reading the paper while Joan had been focused on a book. She didn't bother looking up at him when she answered.

"The riots in Egypt? A few weeks I would think."

"That's not what I was talking about."

Joan paused mid page turn and looked up at him questioningly. When her gaze met his Arthur nodded toward the house next door. She shook her head at him and went back to her book. While she knew what it was he was really talking about now, she had nothing to offer in return and didn't see why he had even bothered to ask. His eyes remained on her though, and she could feel it.

"I don't know, Arthur," she told him after she got tired of him watching her.

"Then guess."

Joan sighed and looked up at him again. Personally she thought the whole issue was unimportant.

"If you're that impatient then go tell them it's there."

"That ruins the fun."

"Then come up with something that doesn't, and leave me in peace while you do it."

"Joan…"

"Arthur."

There was no warning tone in how she said his name. It was simply cool and collected, but if he pressed the next time wouldn't be as nice.

Arthur stood and paced toward the window. He looked outside in silence, though the silence didn't last very long.

"It can't be much longer. I didn't make it very hard to find. We've given them enough reason to hide out in the bushes already. Right?"

Once again Joan sighed and flipped her book over so the armrest would hold her page. He really wasn't listening to her at all.

"Arthur, stop. You're being ridiculous."

"I can't help it, Joan. I'm excited."

"I figured that out a few days ago. Give it time. They could have found it already, and your anal pacing could be keeping them away."

"Maybe. Hopefully."

"What are you going to do when we're done with this?"

"I don't know. What does it matter?"

"You're pretty focused on this."

"Don't worry. When we finish our last few clues we'll be done. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that. I would like my free time back sometime soon. Getting my husband back would be nice too."


	7. Chapter 7 - Who Are They Really?

Chapter Seven – Who Are They Really?

Carter released his handful of dirt and watched it drop back to the ground again. Once it had settled he scooped up another handful and repeated the action. He and Caroline were camped out under the bushes, watching, but the Campbells still weren't doing anything. It was starting to get a little boring. Even Caroline, who had been so adamant about watching them and making sure they didn't miss anything, looked bored. He was really tempted to tell her they should just give up. When Caroline suddenly shifted position he thought she was thinking the same thing until she reached through the fence and started playing in the dirt. A moment later she began pushing the dirt around a little more frantically and then turned to stare at him.

"There's something here."

"What do you mean?"

"Look. See?" She pointed toward the spot she'd been digging in.

"What is that? A box or something?"

"I think so. I want to find out."

She reached out to start digging again, but Carter grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Not now! We have to wait until they aren't anywhere near here! We're digging through their yard, and if they hid it we don't want them to see us digging it up."

"I didn't think of that."

"Of course you didn't. We'll come back when they aren't so close by. Right now we need to try and find some shovels."

They both scrambled out of the bushes and ran toward the house. Their parents had gotten them both sand pails and shovels for their vacations. If they could find where they were in the garage the shovels would probably work to dig the box out. In the end, it didn't take them long to find the tools.

"Should we bring them inside?" Caroline asked.

"Mom and dad might get suspicious if we do. Let's leave them in here where we can find them. When we want to dig the box up we can come get them."

"They're going to think it's weird that we're bringing them into the backyard."

"So bring some of your dolls out too. They won't ask then."

"I don't want them to get dirty!"

"Do you want to dig up the box or not?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then bring one. If it gets dirty, oh well."

Caroline glared at him angrily but had to agree. She really wanted to know what the Campbells had hidden and playing pretend with her dolls and the pails would be the perfect way to distract her parents so she could find out. Whatever was hidden had to be something really cool. Why else would someone hide something in a box and bury it in the ground?

Two days later they finally had the opportunity to try and dig up the box. Joan and Arthur were nowhere to be seen, though the kids had seen them come home. With the neighbors busy inside their house, the coast outside was clear. Now if only Carter would finish his homework.

"Come on, Carter!"

"I'm almost done. And you're not helping. Get the stuff and pretend like you're playing outside while I finish."

Caroline huffed, not happy that he was bossing her around, but headed to her room and then the garage anyway. What he'd told her to do made sense, and she was impatient. If he took too long she would dig the box up herself. She'd been the one to find it after all.

She'd been outside pretending to play for about fifteen minutes when Carter finally joined her.

"Took you long enough," she grumbled.

"Mom wanted to check it all before I left. There wasn't anything I could do. Now come on or we won't have time to finish before dinner."

"You're the one that took forever," she complained as she grabbed the shovels and buckets and started scooting beneath the bushes.

Carter followed after her, and they settled down on their knees and started digging. The more dirt that piled up in the buckets the more of the box was revealed. Caroline dropped the shovel and reached through the fence to grab the box. She turned it sideways to try and pull it between the bars, but it hit them with a clang and got stuck. They both flinched at the loud noise and held perfectly still. Someone could have heard that, and at any moment they could be coming over to find out what Caroline and Carter were up to. After a few more moments of silence and no sign of anyone coming they relaxed with a sigh of relief.

"Turn it more sideways."

"I am!"

"Then give it to me."

"I can do it!"

Caroline shifted the box and tried a few more times before finally getting it to slide through. She grinned triumphantly and set the box down. Slowly she popped both clasps and lifted the lid, but Carter reached around her and snagged the contents of the box before she could.

"Hey!"

"Shh! Someone could hear you."

She glared at him but dropped the volume of her voice.

"Let me see."

Carter held both IDs out in front of him so Caroline could see too. They stared at the pieces of paper for a long time. Both pictures were familiar and easily identifiable as Joan and Arthur Campbell. What they didn't understand were the names associated with each picture.

"What are they?"

"Driver's licenses, I think," Carter answered.

"Those don't look like their names though, right?"

Caroline wasn't completely sure she was reading the first names right, but she knew the last name written on both IDs wasn't Campbell. That didn't make any sense though. She didn't know all that much about her neighbors, but one thing she did know for sure was that their last name _was_ Campbell.

"They're not."

"But those are their pictures."

"I know."

"Then why are the names wrong?"

"Maybe they're not. Maybe those are their real names. If they're really spies they might need fake names."

"Then why would they hide these here? They weren't very safe."

"Why would they think someone would look under the bushes? It's not a place people usually go and you wouldn't be able to see the box unless you were under here."

"I wonder what their real names are."

"Dunno. No way to tell either."

The sliding glass door opened, and their mom called them in for dinner.

"Coming!" Carter called out before whispering hurriedly to Caroline. "Put it back, quick!"

Caroline scrambled to toss the IDs back into the box and shoved it through the bars of the fence. Once it was returned to the hole she started dumping dirt back over it.

"Get it covered and clean off the bars. Don't leave anything in here. I'll stall mom," Carter told her.

She nodded and kept pouring the dirt on as her brother crawled out of the bushes. After she'd smoothed down the dirt and brushed off the bars she gathered the buckets and followed after him. Hopefully neither her parents nor the Campbells (or whatever their real name was) would realize what they'd done. She really didn't want angry spies or angry parents turning their eyes on her.

* * *

_Author's Note: Only two chapters left! _


	8. Chapter 8 - Discovering Unknowns

Chapter Eight – Discovering Unknowns

"What _is_ that?"

"Don't ask me," Caroline replied.

Whatever it was Joan was playing with next door, it looked kind of like Carter's remote controllers for airplanes and cars. The big difference was all of the lights on it.

"I don't see anything happening besides it lighting up."

"We're probably not close enough."

"We won't be able to see much better outside."

"We might be able to hear though," she pressed.

"Go down if you want."

Caroline huffed. If he didn't want to come with her, then fine. She would go by herself. There had to be a way to figure out what that thing did. She hopped down the steps and dashed outside to their hiding spot beside the fence. It took her a little bit of squirming to find a spot between the bushes where she could see well. Being closer didn't give her any better idea of what Joan was holding though. It still looked like a glowing battery operated car remote to her.

Joan had known the moment Caroline had come out to join her. She kept her attention on the remote in her hands as she waited for the rustling of bushes next door to die down. While she waited she slipped a hand into her pocket to subtly text Arthur. He hadn't been paying full attention to where the kids were while she was outside, but the message should give him the hint to look. After that it wouldn't take long for him to realize one or both of the children had to be outside with her. She passed the next few moments pretending to check the device until Arthur walked out of the house to join her in the backyard.

"How's the reception?" he called out as he approached.

"Solid. I'm getting clear readings from all of the tracking devices."

"So we know exactly where everyone is."

"Mmhm. Down to the foot."

Arthur slid a hand up one of her arms when he reached her.

"How many do we have left?" he asked.

Joan pressed the side of the remote to release the catch on a hidden drawer. Caroline would be able to see the drawer open, but there was no way for her to see that the inside was completely empty.

"Three," Joan answered. "We shouldn't have to worry about trading any out for a while."

"Good."

Her eyes flickered down to his hand. Outwardly she was acting like she hadn't known Arthur had brought anything out with him, but they had planned the entire encounter out in advance. She had already known she would ask about what he'd brought.

"What have you got? New toys?"

"New technology."

He held his hand out palm up to reveal the collection of four small balls. Just in case they couldn't be seen clearly from a distance he held one up in his other hand. In reality it was only a bouncy ball painted a dark grey, but that didn't mean it couldn't look like something else. Arthur and Joan could easily sell it as whatever they wanted to. Joan plucked the ball out of his hand and rolled it between her fingers.

"That one is a smokebomb. Easy to use and provides very good cover."

"What about the others?"

"The lighter colored ones with the pink stripe are gumballs."

"Gumballs?"

"That's what they're called, and it fits. Throw one and it explodes, showering everything around it in bubble gum."

"Bubble gum," she said in a tone of disbelief.

"Well, it's not actually gum. It's a sticky pink substance that hardens enough to make it stretch without tearing. Works great as an immobilizing agent."

"And a way to force someone to get a haircut. You won't be getting that out without scissors."

"See? Added bonus. It makes it very difficult to blend in when you don't have hair."

Joan laughed and leaned in to kiss his cheek. She dropped the smokebomb back into his hand and slipped past him. Before she got very far she paused and glanced back in his direction.

"Just make sure you don't accidentally detonate either of those in the house or anywhere near me."

Caroline watched the Campbells head back insider, her mouth still hanging open. She had suspected that her neighbors were spies, and spies had cool gadgets, so it made sense that they would have some. What she hadn't expected was how awesome the gadgets were. Really, how cool were exploding gumballs? Pretty darn cool. Carter hadn't gotten to hear about them either, which made everything better. This one she was keeping to herself. It was just too bad she didn't have one so she could use it on Carter when he was being particularly mean. Watching him struggle in strands of gum would have been absolutely awesome.

O . o . O . o . O

Later that evening when the sun was edging down toward the horizon line the kids spotted Joan and Arthur outside again. Carter was considering ignoring them in favor of finishing his ice cream, and even Caroline was content to watch from inside while she ate hers. When the Campbells started looking around to make sure they were alone and then put their heads together conspiratorially both bowls of ice cream lost importance. At least sort of. Carter and Caroline scarfed down what was remaining as quickly as they could and raced outside. It was dark enough out that they decided not to bother ducking under the bushes. As long as they stayed low and near the fence line they wouldn't be spotted easily. Carter was able to peek over the top of the bushes on their side of the fence fairly easily, but Caroline had to stand on her tip toes to see anything.

Mr. and Mrs. Campbell were still huddled together, though it was now obvious what they were huddled around: a small piece of paper that Mr. Campbell was holding in one hand.

_"Too bad there's no way to find out what's on that paper," _Caroline thought.

"Do you have it memorized?" Arthur whispered.

Joan didn't answer for a moment, assumingly running whatever was written down through her head one more time to make sure she had memorized it. Finally she looked up at him and nodded.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

She turned a dark look on him that made Caroline smile. The glare was just as clear to Arthur as it was to Carter and Caroline. He shouldn't have even gotten within 100 feet of calling her incompetent or questioning her ability, and he'd gotten a lot closer than that. It had been a bad move on his part. Carter couldn't help thinking that Joan looked a lot like a dangerous snake, poised and ready to strike. Mrs. Campbell was definitely not somebody he would want to make mad, especially when she looked like that. It seemed like he wasn't the only one that thought it would be better not to further upset Joan.

"Right. You probably memorized it faster than I did," Arthur told her as he lifted his hands in surrender.

They watched Joan's face go from hard and dangerous to nearly amused. A small smile was pulling at one corner of her mouth as she gazed at her husband. An even tinier smile appeared on Arthur's face. In a matter of seconds the moment was over, and Mr. Campbell reached into his pocket. He pulled something small out, but neither of the kids could tell what it was. There was a quiet noise that could only be described as "fwick" and then a flare of bright light appeared in the growing darkness. Flame from a lighter.

_"What was he going to do with that? Burn the paper he'd shown to Joan?" _Carter wondered.

Just as he was wondering that Arthur held a corner over the flame. The edge of the paper ignited, and fire raced upward.

Yes, apparently that was exactly what he was going to do.

When the fire edged toward Arthur's fingers he let go of the burning paper, and it fluttered toward the ground. Carter and Caroline watched it fall, mesmerized. The glow from the flame made the rest of the night seem darker by comparison. By the time the burning paper hit the ground there was barely anything left. Arthur stamped out the remaining fire and scattered the ashes, breaking the spell the burning paper had on the two kids.

"Good?" Joan asked.

"Good," Arthur confirmed as he slid his arm around her back and started guiding her inside.

Leaving the amateur spies to their own devices, Arthur and Joan stepped inside and headed toward the living room. Before they got there Arthur stopped over at their side bar to pour himself a glass of scotch and Joan a glass of white wine.

"Operation complete," he said as he handed her the wine.

"And successful I would say. They should have more than enough now to make their own determinations about us."

Arthur slid his arm around her and held her close.

"Well done Operative Campbell."

Joan leaned in and kissed his cheek in return.

"Thank you."

"Shall we go celebrate a job well done?"

"Sounds wonderful."

She pulled away and held up her glass. Arthur grinned happily at her and lifted his own glass to clink against hers. Once again his arm slid around her waist as they continued toward the couch to enjoy the rest of their evening. After all of the work they'd put into their self-created assignment they deserved some time to relax. Of course Arthur wouldn't have called any moment of what they'd done hard work (except maybe burying the IDs). While Joan would never admit it, she had actually enjoyed Arthur's little game too.

Joan rested against Arthur's chest and sipped at her wine contentedly. Arthur was just as comfortable, but that wasn't going to last for long. After a few more sips Joan tipped her head back and looked up at him.

"You know you're still going to have to dig that box out of the yard," she told him with a bit of a victorious smile on her face.

"You had to remind me of that, didn't you?"

"Simply being a good wife."

"You just want to see me struggling under the bushes again."

"Your ass _was_ rather cute bobbing around like that."

"It was, was it?"

"Mm. It was."

He looked down to find her eyes glittering up at him. Well then. After setting his glass on the side table and taking Joan's to put in the same place, he leaned over her, smiling widely.

"Bushes aren't required."

"They're not, huh?"

"Nope," he replied as he shifted to hover over her more. "Not at all."


	9. Chapter 9 - Of Past, Present, and Future

_Author's Note: And here we go. This is the end!_

* * *

Chapter Nine – Of Past, Present, and Future

For the past week there had been no activity next door. It wasn't that Joan and Arthur weren't home; they were. The kids had seen them come home and leave, but the Campbells hadn't done anything interesting. With nothing new happening and nothing to keep them entertained, Caroline and Carter were starting to get tired of their spying. While Caroline was still willing to keep an eye out, Carter had given up. He had far better things to do than watch his neighbors clean their house and work on paperwork. They'd already gotten what they'd wanted to anyway. Caroline could sit there by the bushes and listen to what was going on next door if she wanted to. He was going to enjoy playing baseball with his friend.

Joan knew the two children were outside next door, but she wasn't paying full attention to what was going on. Now that she and Arthur were done providing clues there was no need to be as aware of what the kids were up to. Even though she was more focused on enjoying what could very well be one of the last days of warm sunshine, she was still registering what they were saying next door. Again it was habit. She simply couldn't help listening.

"What the heck is your sister doing, Carter?"

"Watching the neighbors."

"Why?" Carter's friend laughed.

"Because our neighbors are probably spies."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. We've been spying on them. It was fun for a little while, but…" he shrugged.

"It's still fun," Caroline countered. "I like being a spy."

"You're not a real spy, stupid."

"I could be when I grow up!"

"No you couldn't."

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Because you're a girl."

Joan's eyes widened in shock as the words reverberated through her head. It was like someone had crashed a cymbal inside her mind. The words were all too familiar.

_"Because you're a girl."_

_Eight year old Joan narrowed her eyes and glared up at her older sister's friend. She should have known it wouldn't be a good idea to show off and tell him she didn't want to be anything boring when she grew up. Most girls wanted to be teachers, nurses, astronauts, or ballerinas. Not Joan though. She wanted to grow up and be a spy. Apparently her sister and her friend didn't think that was possible. That had only made Joan mad, and she'd demanded to know why they didn't think she could become a spy._

_"He's right. Girls can't be spies, Joanie," her sister agreed._

_"Yes they can!"_

_"Nuh uh!"_

_"Says who?"_

_"Everyone knows that girls aren't spies. Duh," the friend added to back her sister up._

_"Well why not?"_

_"Girls aren't strong enough."_

_"You're not exactly brave either you know," her sister told her as well. "Whenever you see a spider you run in the other direction."_

_Joan crossed her arms and glared at her sister again. While her sister was right about Joan's reaction to spiders, it still wasn't a good enough reason. If she were a spy and had to deal with a spider she could do it. Probably._

_"Besides Joanie, spies have to be really good at keeping secrets. You're not always very good at that."_

_"Yes I am!"_

_"Girls never stop talking. There's no way you could ever keep a secret for a long time," her sister's friend told her._

_He wound up getting hit in response, though not by Joan. While they wandered off, Joan's sister berating her friend for the girls talking comment, Joan glared after them._

_"You'll see," she muttered. "One day I'll be the best spy ever."_

A sudden door slamming started Joan out of her memories. She blinked and looked around. Arthur was standing by their back door and waving at her.

"We've got a problem. Let's go."

That was all she needed to hear. It was time to go back to work; the work that a girl shouldn't have been able to do. She smiled briefly before standing and heading inside so they could head to the office and take care of whatever this problem was. And she would be able to take care of it. After all, she was incredibly good at her job.

O . o . O . o . O

The next day after school Caroline's mother called out to her.

"Caroline! You have mail."

Caroline scurried over in excitement and snatched the letter off the table. She rarely got mail, and about every letter she did receive was from her grandmother. This one had to be from someone else though. Not only was her name the only thing on the envelope, the handwriting didn't look anything like her grandmother's. She quickly tore the envelope open and found a single rectangle of cardstock. There was only one sentence scrawled onto the paper.

_You can be whatever you want to be._

Below that was what looked like the alphabet written twice. Caroline had absolutely no idea what it meant. When she looked at the first alphabet closer she realized something was wrong. The "J" was missing. Curious, she checked the second set. The "J" wasn't missing from that one, but the "C" was. JC? What did that mean? And who had the letter come from? Finally the pieces clicked together and her eyes widened in shock. JC. Joan Campbell? Had Mrs. Campbell heard what her brother had told her yesterday? Yes, somehow she must have. It was the only thing that made sense.

"She really is a spy," Caroline whispered to herself.

Immediately she raced off to get her own paper, pencil, and envelope.

Joan found the letter waiting in her mailbox the next evening. The childish handwriting on the envelope had to be from Caroline. When she opened the letter she found a message similar to her own.

_I won't tell if you won't._

Like her own letter, there was no signature on the bottom. Instead there were two lines of alphabets. The first ran out of room at the end and had to run up the side of the paper to finish. Despite that and the obvious eraser marks by C, D, E, and F it was still legible. The second one wasn't as clear. There was no way to go up the side like the first set, so when space began to run out the letters became more and more squished together and on top of each other. Thankfully she knew exactly what the alphabet code was. She had written it herself after all. The missing "C" and "H" proved it was from Caroline.

Joan smiled happily. Caroline had gotten the note and hopefully she would take the message to heart. Maybe the name Caroline Hamlin would turn up on the agency's radar at some point in the future. One never knew.


End file.
